Scholar Zone Summer NYC | Grade 6 Family Guide

NEW YORK CITY SUMMER RISING FAMILY GUIDE TO LITERACY

Grade 6

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Table of Contents

WelcomeLetter................................1 WhyLiteracyMatters............................2 Sixth-GradeMilestones..........................5 SupporttheStandards......................... 8 Literacy Throughout the Home.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 EverydaySkillBuilders..........................12 MakingtheSummerLeap.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 ReadingFAQs.................................18 ReadingatHomeChecklist.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Glossary......................................21 Resources................................... 22

Dear Family,

Welcome to Scholar Zone Summer! There are many things you can do at home this summer to support your child’s literacy. Literacy is the ability to use language to understand and communicate thoughts and ideas. It includes reading, writing, speaking, and listening. It also includes telling stories, using numbers, and understanding images. In this guide, you will find: 1. Literacy milestones to look for during sixth grade. 2. Engaging ways to reinforce your child’s summer learning. 3. Fun resources and tips to support literacy at home. Use this guide in the way that best fits your family. Most likely, you are already doing many things to help your sixth grader learn. The hope of this book is to give you new, fun ideas to do even more!

Happy New School Year!

The Scholastic Team

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Why Literacy Matters

Literacy and good health are connected! Below are some ways that reading regularly can help your child grow physically, emotionally, and socially.

Spending quality time reading, talking, and listening strengthens the parent-child bond.

Reading regularly and discussing what was read raises a child’s IQ by 6 points.

Reading creates new brain pathways. Readers have better memories!

Reading for 20 minutes every day can help students score among

the top 10% in standardized testing.

Strong readers are 2.5x more likely to earn $850 or more a week.

Reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 60% and slow the heartbeat.

Reading together at bedtime every night tells the body that it’s time to sleep and relaxes you.

Well-read kids are more likely to “think first”

Reading, especially fiction books, increases empathy. Readers know better what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes.

Children who read are more likely to make logical decisions. They also have better judgment!

before becoming angry or emotional.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

The Top 7 Ways You Can Support Your Child’s Literacy 1. Keep a wide variety of reading materials in your home. ▶ Books, borrowed or bought ▶ Newspapers ▶ Magazines ▶ Flyers ▶ Brochures ▶ Owner’s manuals

2. Talk, sing, and play with your child. ▶ Listen to music together

▶ Draw, make books ▶ Play games together ▶ Ask questions and listen

▶ Tell family stories ▶ Make up stories

3. Let your child know that you believe he or she can be an outstanding reader and student. ▶ Write uplifting notes ▶ Praise your growing reader ▶ Gift books and other literacy materials ▶ Ask your child to read to you

4. Show that you believe reading is important. ▶ Read daily ▶ Read aloud

▶ Share your reading ▶ Travel with a book

5. Be actively bilingual, if possible. ▶ Use both languages ▶ Read books in both languages 6. Talk to your child’s teachers. ▶ Share details about your child ▶ Ask for help if needed

▶ Celebrate your culture ▶ Use closed captioning

▶ Listen and support teachers’ goals and concerns ▶ Speak up

7. Visit libraries in your community and online. ▶ Apply for a library card

▶ Sign your child up for library activities and clubs

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Sixth-Grade Milestones

Your child will work hard to meet many literacy goals this year! These pages describe some common milestones to watch for as your sixth grader grows as a reader. Language Using Powerful Words: ▶ Understand figurative language (such as it’s raining cats and dogs ). ▶ Identify words with Greek and Latin origins (such as bicycle and language ). ▶ Break apart words with more than one syllable in order to pronounce them correctly, or close to correctly (such as ingenious , committee , and continent ). ▶ Use context to understand a vocabulary word. ▶ Self-correct when necessary. Discussing Texts: ▶ Be respectful and polite during a discussion. ▶ Ask for further explanation when things are unclear. ▶ Stay on one topic for a long time. ▶ Use facts and opinions to make strong statements. ▶ Be thoughtful and mature when dealing with sophisticated or sensi- tive themes (such as racism). ▶ Use multiple forms of text and media as evidence in a discussion. ▶ Recognize when a claim is not supported with enough facts, or is supported with inaccurate claims.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Reading Connecting to Texts: ▶ Understand longer pieces of text, with multiple subplots. ▶ Make inferences about significant events not shown in the text. ▶ Understand perspectives and events that are very different from their own experiences. ▶ Determine the themes and morals of a story. ▶ Use historical and scientific knowledge to understand a character’s thoughts, actions, and relationships. ▶ Compare and contrast two or more story elements, such as charac- ters, settings, or plots. ▶ Compare and contrast two or more stories from the same genre. Reading With Purpose: ▶ Recognize different styles of writing by noticing the author’s word choice and structure decisions. ▶ Recognize when a main idea or claim is supported with evidence. ▶ Compare and contrast texts to other forms of media, such as audio or video recordings. ▶ Compare and contrast different genres of text such as poetry, histor- ical fiction, or plays.

Lit Facts Each year, most students spend about 7,800 hours at home compared to only 950 hours at school—one of the many reasons you are the most influential and important teacher your child will ever have!

Writing Writing With Purpose:

▶ Understand that the introduction sets the tone of a piece. ▶ Include a meaningful conclusion that wraps up their ideas well. ▶ Construct a well-organized opinion essay. ▶ Use facts and quotations to support claims and strengthen ideas. ▶ Include historical context, facts, and science in both fiction and nonfiction pieces.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Sixth-Grade Milestones

Enhancing Meaning: ▶ Decide on a formal style and stick with it for an entire piece. ▶ Format the text so that important ideas flow logically. ▶ Use varied sentence length and structure to build tension. ▶ Use language that causes an emotional response in the reader. ▶ Choose words that link sentences and paragraphs together smoothly. ▶ Use words that indicate the passage of time.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Support the Standards

There are some common standards teachers focus on in sixth grade. These charts show three basic categories and how you can support these standards at home. Talk to your child’s teacher about your child’s progress in meeting them. Use the tips to help support your child’s literacy progress! Key Ideas & Details What happened in this text? Why?

BENCHMARK

TIP TO SUPPORT

Ask your child specific questions about what he or she is reading, encouraging him or her to support answers with proof from the text. Practice looking for clues to figure out something that’s not clearly stated. Ask your child to give you a summary of a text he or she has read using only key details or facts—no opinions. Ask your child which key details in the text identify the theme or main idea. Discuss how a story or nonfiction text flows from one scene or event to the next. Ask your child how characters change as the plot unfolds. When your child reads nonfiction, ask how ideas in the text are introduced and what details are used to expand on them.

Use quotes or inferences from a text to answer questions or support statements. Use key details to identify the theme or main idea of a text and summarize a text objectively. Describe in detail how a text’s plot, ideas, and characters are intro- duced and change from beginning to end.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Craft & Structure How is this text written? Why?

BENCHMARK

TIP TO SUPPORT

Use context to understand unfa- miliar words and phrases in a text, and explain how certain words affect meaning. Explain how a particular chapter, scene, stanza, paragraph, or section fits into a text in a way that helps develop the ideas, theme, or plot. Determine the point of view of a text, and describe how the author develops it.

Look out for words and phrases in a text that your child doesn’t know. Ask him or her to try to figure out what they mean by reading the sentences around them. Ask your child why the author chose to use that particular word or phrase.

Point out a specific sentence, paragraph, or chapter in a storybook or nonfiction text and ask your child to explain to you what makes it important and how it helps develop the text.

Ask your child who is telling the story, or who is making the argument, in the text he or she is reading, and what the author or narrator might have been thinking while writing it. Then discuss what details in the text show this.

Integration of Knowledge & Ideas How do the different parts of this text connect to one another? How does this text connect to other texts?

BENCHMARK

TIP TO SUPPORT

Discuss the differences between a presentation of a story and reading it. Use information from both media and text to understand a topic. Identify which points and claims in a text are supported by reasons and evidence, and which are not. Compare and contrast how a theme is used in multiple stories, and two authors’ nonfiction accounts of an event.

Compare and contrast a book your child has read to a movie based on it. Watch a movie on a nonfiction topic your child is studying. Discuss everything your child knows about that topic when you’ve finished.

Ask your child what points an author is trying to make and whether there is specific evidence in the text to directly support each one. Ask if the reasons an author gives make sense.

Discuss how themes such as “kindness is rewarded” appear differently in different stories. Ask your child to explain how one author’s presentation of a nonfiction event is different from another author’s that he or she has read.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Literacy Throughout the Home

Your household is your child’s first classroom! With a little imagination and a lot of questions, you can use everyday objects and routines to sharpen your child’s literacy skills.

In the Living Room Living room activities can strengthen both literacy skills and family bonds. Place a wide variety of books on shelves, in baskets, and on tables, in easy reach of your child. Gather as a family to tell stories, share memories, play charades, act out plays, or play board or card games. Screen time is best when viewed together and used as an opportunity to discuss what you are watching. In the Kitchen For many families, the kitchen is the hub of the home. Use the hours spent here to practice literacy with your child. Place magnetic words on the refrigerator to create magnetic poetry and write notes to each other. Have your child practice following directions by helping you to cook or bake a complex recipe. Ask your child to write up the shopping list you will bring to the grocery store.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

In the Bedroom The bedroom is a good place for end-of-the-day chats to discuss your child’s progress and future learning activities and ideas. Demonstrate great reading habits by keeping books and magazines near the bed. Encourage your child to keep a dream journal next to the bed, in easy reach for recording in the morning. Bond with your child at bedtime by asking about his or her day or sharing memories from your own childhood. In the Laundry Room Whether at home or at the laundromat, doing laundry has clear- cut instructions and specific actions that use literacy skills. Have your child practice following directions in order by helping you work the machines. Many laundry products have several words with multiple sylla- bles in the ingredients list. Work with your child to sound them out. Sort and fold clothing with your child, creating categories by size, color, or texture for added fun.

IN OTHER SPACES

Take it on the go! You can practice literacy anywhere.

At the Library Visiting a building devoted to books makes a great statement about the importance of literacy. ▶ Get your child a library card and visit regularly. ▶ Ask your librarian about resources or activities that can help your child learn how to use the Dewey Decimal System, an essential research skill. ▶ As you both look for books or other media to borrow, talk about your favorite genres, authors, or topics.

At the Museum Many museums offer resources and programs designed especially for children. ▶ Make visits engaging with creative activities, such as having your child pretend to be a character in a painting or other display. ▶ Attend a program or workshop with your child. Afterward, have a discussion about what you both learned. ▶ Encourage your child to draw a picture, write a poem, or create a review about museums you visit.

On the Move Traveling with your child by car, bus, plane, or train is a great time for literacy. ▶ Use travel time to talk about books or topics your child is studying. Ask questions that can’t be answered with just yes or no . ▶ Start a travel journal that your child can use to record any eventful trips. ▶ Use public transportation

and road maps or atlases with your child to identify travel destinations.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Everyday Skill Builders

Engaging daily with your child in a variety of literacy activities can be easy and fun for the entire family. When combined with your child’s take-home books and available literacy apps, these additional home literacy activities can play a vital part in shaping your child into a lifelong learner.

OPEN A RESTAURANT. Have your child design a menu, follow directions to make a recipe, and come up with a clever name. Give him or her a small pad to take orders, developing writing skills.

KEEP A VOCABULARY BOX where family members can put in words they think are difficult. Once a week, empty out the box together and take turns guessing what each word means. Use a dictionary to find out who came closest!

KEEP DOING READ-ALOUDS with your child. Ask your child to read to you. It’s a great way to practice fluency. Remember, sixth graders are still learning, and may still need support from you!

TREASURE HUNTS are fun ways to practice finding information in charts and maps. Take turns hiding objects in your home and drawing detailed maps with clues to find them.

CREATE A HOME READING JOURNAL where your child can log what he or she has read and for how long. Looking back on what they’ve done can give children a strong sense of accomplishment.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

DO A DRAMATIC READING of the same page of a book, using different emotions.

Take turns acting out a scared reading, a sad reading, or an angry reading, having family members guess which emotion is being used.

MAKE A MOVIE. Have your child write his or her own movie script and use a smartphone to film it. Your child can make a poster for it, too!

USE TRADING CARDS for sports or anime to point out abbreviations, symbols, pictures, and captions, all important literacy elements. These cards can also be used for sorting games.

BE A READING ROLE MODEL. Be sure your child sees you reading and enjoying it. During read-alouds, read with expression. Have your child follow along as you read. Point out punctuation that requires a change in tone, such as question marks and exclamation points.

DEBATE family deci- sions, placing members on two teams. For example, one team could be in favor of getting a dog and the other could be against. Practice finding and using research and evidence to support your positions.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

WATCH TELEVISION WISELY. Help develop speaking and listening skills through co-viewing television on occasion. Talk with your child about the characters in shows you watch together, discussing their traits and motivations.

HAVE YOUR CHILD KEEP A DIARY FROM A CHARACTER’S PERSPECTIVE. Pick a character from a chapter book, and at the end of each chapter have your child write down thoughts, feelings, and wonderings from that character’s point of view. MAKING MISTAKES while reading to your child is fine. It’s a chance to show how to self-correct. Stop, explain what you said incorrectly, and then reread correctly.

DRAW A TIMELINE of your child’s life together. Use sequencing words such as first, next, after , and finally as you share. You can do one for everyone in the family.

MAKE REAL-LIFE CONNECTIONS when reading with your child. Tell how a part in the story reminds you of your own childhood or something that happened to you once. Encourage your child to do the same. MAKE A WORD SCRAMBLE. Write 9–12 letters on a piece of paper, making sure to include a few vowels. See how many words you and your child can make using only those letters!

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Everyday Skill Builders

Lit Facts

REWARD EFFORT AS MUCH AS SUCCESS! Recognize and applaud your child’s honest efforts while learning. This will inspire continued attempts to try hard when facing new challenges.

▶ Never say there isn’t a book out there for you! Recently, Google esti- mated the total number of published books in the world at 129,864,880. And that number is still growing!

▶ From third grade on,

children learn an average of 2,000–3,000 words each year. That’s about 6–8 words per day!

INCREASE YOUR CHILD’S VOCABULARY during conversation. Rather than “talking down” with simplified language, raise the bar by using words he or she might not know.

CREATE A FAMILY JOURNAL. Leave a notebook in a special spot in your home. Encourage the entire family

USE THE INTERNET, WEBSITES, AND YOUR SMARTPHONE for fact-find- ing, research, and writing. You can also use technology to practice using words with multiple meanings (e.g., screen as part of a door or a computer monitor) and figurative language (e.g., surfing the internet).

to write something in the journal every day. Anything works: an inspirational word or thought, questions, an event that was memo- rable, even doodles! Review entries often.

HAVE A MOVIE NIGHT. Read a book together that has been made into a movie. Or watch a movie and then read a book based on it. Compare and contrast over popcorn.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Making the Summer Leap

The Importance of Summer Reading Studies show that teachers often spend the first month of school reteaching material that students have forgotten over the summer! Children who read four or more books over the summer do better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than classmates who read one or no books at all. Help support your child’s teacher and keep reading a part of your home routine. Summer is filled with events and activities that keep families busy. Here are tips that can fit into any jam-packed schedule and get your child excited about reading! What You Can Do ▶ Encourage independent reading at home during the school year so that by the time summer starts, your child will be used to reading outside of the classroom. ▶ Continue reading together with your child throughout the summer. Bring books outside for added fun! ▶ Set up cozy reading spaces in your home tol encourage your child to read. Keep books in this area and try to choose a space away from distractions and electronics. ▶ Let your child choose the books that he or she wants to read this summer. Studies show that 9 out of 10 kids say that they are more likely to complete a book if they picked it out themselves! ▶ Take advantage of the library! Librarians can help you and your child find the perfect book. Also check your local libraries for free or low-cost summer reading programs. ▶ Make time for your child to read every day this summer! If you read the paper in the morning, read it aloud to your child. Read whatever you have in the house together. Summer isn’t the only time of year students have a break from school. Use these tips while enjoying time off together during other holidays, too!

Lit Facts Summer Reading Stats ▶ The equivalent of two months of reading skills is lost after summer vacation if children are not reading. ▶ By the end of sixth grade, students who have experienced summer learning loss over the years are an average of two years behind their peers. ▶ Two to three hours of reading per week during summer vacation are needed to prevent learning loss.

Try This

Fold and staple paper to make blank books that your child can use to write and illustrate stories or poetry. Use completed books during read-alouds or add them to the family library.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Suggested Summer Reads Your school may send out a recommended reading list. If not, ask your child’s teacher or a local librarian for suggestions. See the list at right for additional ideas.

Try This

Check out these titles for reading together this summer: ▶ Beetle Boy by M. G. Leonard ▶ Fooled You! Fakes and Hoaxes Through the Years by Elaine Pascoe ▶ The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Neil Morris and Reg Cox ▶ Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu ▶ The Life of Rice: From Seedling to Supper by Richard Sobol ▶ Astrophysicist and Space Advocate Neil deGrasse Tyson by Marne Ventura ▶ Fantasy League by Mike Lupica ▶ Maximilian and the Bingo Rematch by Xavier Garza ▶ Prowling the Seas: Exploring the Hidden World of Ocean Predators by Pamela Turner ▶ Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Reading FAQs

Even with all of this information, you may still have questions! Here are some of the most common questions other families have. For more information, see the resources on page 28. 1. How much should my child be reading each night? In sixth grade, children should be independently reading for around 40–50 minutes each day outside of school. Those 40–50 minutes may be spent diving into one book or reading several smaller texts. 2. How can I encourage my child to read? It isn’t uncommon for children to lose their motivation to read as they age. To help your child get excited about books, try finding stories and texts about things he or she loves. It’s fine if your child chooses engaging books that are a bit above or below his or her reading level. Reading through websites, sending text messages, and watching movies based on the book your child is reading are also great ways to promote reading every day. Literacy comes in many forms, and it does not have to be intimidating or boring! 3. I think my child might be having trouble reading. How can I know for sure, and what can I do about it? It’s normal for children to fall a little behind in reading, just as it’s normal for them to sometimes work a little ahead. However, if your child hesitates often while reading aloud, takes a long time to follow written directions, or frequently guesses at how words are spelled without paying attention to the way they sound, it’s a good idea to reach out to your child’s teacher. If your child does have reading difficulties, ask her or his teacher what strategies are being used in school to support your child and what you can do at home to help. Always encourage your child, spend as much time reading with him or her as possible, and praise honest efforts. Your child’s teacher may recommend an in-school reading specialist whose support will get your child back on track. 4. How much screen time is too much? Do digital books (tablet, e-reader) count as screen time or as regular reading? How much screen time (both internet and television) to allow is a personal choice for each family to make. Two hours or less per day is generally recommended, but balanc- ing meals, physical activity, and sleep with technology use is the priority. Both digital books and print books can help your child build reading skills. It’s best to mix print and digital books in whatever balance works best for you and your child, counting all the time spent with either as reading.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

5. My child still has trouble spelling words correctly. What do I do? It’s typically more important for children to get their thoughts down on paper than to get bogged down with worries about spelling. Your child may work best by writing all of his or her story or essay first, and then going back afterward to circle the words that look like they are spelled incorrectly. There are many spelling games and apps online that children can use to practice their spelling at home. Talk to your teacher about his or her recommendations. 6. My child has low self-esteem when it comes to reading. What should I do? Children can sometimes be nervous to read out loud or in public. This is normal, and there are many ways to boost your child’s confidence! Try giving your child books to read aloud that are a little below his or her grade level. Being able to read text smoothly and confidently will increase self-esteeem, building your child’s readiness to tackle more difficult texts. You can also help prepare your child before reading something at a higher level, such as reading through the menu together before going out to eat. Even a small amount of preparation can reduce anxiety. 7. English is not my family’s first language. How can we support our child’s development in both of the languages we speak? Literacy skills transfer easily between any languages, and there are many ways that you can support your child’s growth in both languages at once. For example: ▶ Choose graphic novels or other very visual books with very few words and create a story together using words from both languages you speak. ▶ Find bilingual books, and take turns with your child reading the English page and the page in your native language. ▶ Turn on closed captions in English when you watch TV together, or use captions in your native language.

Just Ask Ask your child’s teacher any questions you have that have not been answered by this guide. Bring this guide with you the next time you meet, and use the lines below to write your own question and the teacher’s response.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Reading at Home Checklist

Use this checklist as you plan activities that strengthen your child’s reading and writing skills. We often…

My child… ☐ makes connections between what he or she reads and real life. ☐ uses quotes and detailed evidence from the text to support his or her thinking about the text. ☐ can give a detailed, unbiased summary of a text. ☐ can explain the beginning, middle, and end of a story, and include important details such as char- acter development and the impact of the setting. ☐ uses figurative and academic language while speaking or writing. ☐ uses context to figure out the meaning of unknown words. ☐ understands how stanzas and chapters fit together in order. ☐ can compare and contrast the point of view of an author or a character with his or her own. ☐ identifies when an author has supported an idea with details and facts, and when he or she hasn’t. ☐ compares and contrasts two or more texts of the same genre or topic. Our home… ☐ is print-rich with books from different genres at grade level, magazines, newspapers, brochures, and other materials that can be read or looked at. ☐ has an area set aside for read-alouds and indepen- dent reading that is comfortable and quiet. ☐ has materials like paper, pencils, and pens so my child can draw and write. ☐ contains a selection of educational toys like board or word games, available for use at any time.

☐ share about the books we are reading to one another, including what we like and dislike and what we are learning. ☐ talk in detail about things we have seen, experi- ences we have had, or stories we have read, heard, or watched. ☐ practice reading and writing with everyday activities like emails, texts, notice boards, and following directions. ☐ play games that involve spelling, reading, or vocabulary, or create plays, projects, and activities in response to reading.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Glossary

adjective— A word used to describe and give more details about a noun (e.g., “I like green apples more than red apples”). adverb— A word that describes where, when, or how an action (a verb) is done, or modifies other descrip- tive words (e.g ., “Yesterday, they quickly ran to school because they were very late”). assessment— A range of methods and tools used to measure academic knowledge, growth, or readiness. An assessment can be anything from a simple ques- tion about a topic to state-level testing. blending— An essential phonics skill in which children learn to link the sound that two or more letters make when said together (e.g., The letters s and h make the sound /sh/, a way to say, “Be quiet”). comprehension— A reader’s ability to read and understand the text. Level of ability is based on knowledge of reading strategies and vocabulary. decoding— The process of seeing words on a page and knowing how to say them out loud. figurative language— Language that does not make literal sense, such as similes (big as a house), meta- phors (the office is a madhouse), or idioms (time flies). fluency— The skill that is measured by a child’s reading rate, words known by heart, word accuracy, and expressively reading aloud. formative assessment— A form of assessment used to monitor ongoing learning (e.g., a short quiz, or written work done during class) in order to provide feedback. Formative assessments can improve both teacher instruction and student learning. genre— A kind of literature defined by its style, structure, and content. The two main sub-categories of genre are fiction and nonfiction (e.g., Stories that scare the reader are from the horror genre). independent reading— A student reads an at-level, “just right” book of choice with fluency and compre- hension without support from teachers, other adults, or peers.

independent reading level— The level at which a reader can read text with 95% accuracy (i.e., no more than one error per 20 words read). inference— Students use what they already know and clues from the text to understand what’s going on in the story, even if it’s not stated. For example, if a character is smiling and laughing, we can infer he is happy. noun— A word that is the name of something such as a person, place, thing, or quality (e.g., student, school, book, happiness). shared reading— A single written piece that the teacher shares with the entire class. Students follow along with the teacher as concepts, strategies, and other reading skills are taught. summative assessment— A form of assessment that evaluates learning at the end of a unit (e.g., an end-of-year test). Summative assessments compare student work to a benchmark or standard. verb— A word that expresses a physical action, a mental action, or a state of being. vocabulary— Those words known or used by a person or group that are read, spoken, or written.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

Resources

There are many places online where you can find additional information and resources. Here are a few we recommend: Websites: Scholastic Parents www.scholastic.com/parents Fun literacy activities, tips, and articles. PBS Parents

For Bilingual Families: ¡Colorín Colorado! www.colorincolorado.org Tips and guides in 13 languages. Multilingual Parenting multilingualparenting.com Answers to common questions about raising multilingual children. Apps: Level It Books levelitbooks.com Organize, track, and find the reading level for any book by scanning its ISBN. Storybird storybird.com Create and publish stories using a gallery of images.

www.pbs.org/parents/education/reading-language Book recommendations, tips for creative writing, and an explanation of reading milestones. ReadWriteThink www.readwritethink.org Projects, online games, printouts, and podcasts. Reading Rockets www.readingrockets.org/audience/parents Tips about digital media, summer reading, stan- dards, and how to help a struggling reader. Council of the Great City Schools “Parent Roadmaps” www.cgcs.org/Page/328 Short packets about supporting standards. National PTA www.pta.org Family guides to reading skills and information on state assessments. Great! Schools www.greatschools.org Video examples of success at each reading milestone, book lists, and worksheets.

Family Guide to Literacy | Grade 6

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